Sunday was a day to remember, a remarkable display of people power, overwhelmingly
choosing independence from despotic Madrid governance by a resounding 90%
majority - despite state-sponsored violence unleashed against them.

Catalonia’s government said “(o)ut of the 2,262,424 ballots that
were not seized, 2,020,144 were YES votes, 176,566 were NO votes,
45,586 in blank and 20,129 null votes.”

Police attired like combat troops, imported from other parts of
Spain, turned Barcelona and other areas into battlegrounds - a
futile attempt to prevent Catalans from exercising their democratic
right to vote, the UN Charter and other international law affirming
their right of self-determination, the right of all people
everywhere.

Nearly 900 people were injured, some seriously, the final tally
perhaps higher. Police used rubber-coated steel bullets, brutal
beatings with batons, and other forms of state-sponsored violence -
viciousness on display for the whole world to see.

Late Sunday, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said “(t)oday the
Spanish state wrote another shameful page in its history with
Catalonia. With this day of hope and suffering, the citizens of
Catalonia have won the right to an independent state in the form a
republic.”

Washington, Britain and Brussels failed to condemn Sunday’s
violence. Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union states:

“The EU’s founding values are human dignity, freedom, democracy,
equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including
the rights of persons belonging to minorities.”

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was an exception, saying
“violence can never be the answer! We condemn all forms of violence
and reaffirm our call for political dialogue.”

UK Lib Dem leader Vince Cable tweeted: “Police in a democracy should
never drag people violently out of polling stations, whatever the
arguments for or against holding a referendum.”

On national television, Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy defiantly said
“(t)oday we have not had a referendum for self-determination in
Catalonia,” claiming Catalans were tricked into voting on Sunday,
calling the vote a “path that leads to nowhere.”

He praised Spanish police for acting with “firmness and serenity.”
Disturbing images showed otherwise, including people forcibly
dragged from polling stations and women thrown down stairs, an
outrageous display of state-sponsored violence.

Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras said “(w)e will be consistent
with the democratic mandate that citizens have given us today.
Catalonia has won its right to be a new republic if this is what the
Parliament decides.”